Bounce Back Candidate: Right-handed reliever Yariel Rodriguez
Photo credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Toronto Blue Jays right handed-reliever Yariel Rodriguez will have a shot at proving he belongs on the roster this upcoming spring.
As you may or may not not know, Blue Jays reliever Yariel Rodriguez was designated for assignment back on December 6.
Unsurprisingly, no team was willing to claim away this remaining contract on waivers, and thus Rodriguez was outrighted off the 40-man.
This means that the Blue Jays could still select Rodriguez's contract back to the 40-man at any point, whether in the offseason or during the 2026 campaign.
Rodriguez has a good chance to make the Blue Jays roster out of Spring Training
Rodriguez will make $6.6 million in 2026, $7.6 million in 2027, and there is a team option for $11.6 million in 2028, with a $7.6 million player option.
The Blue Jays are going to be spending $21.8 million on him, so he'll get chances to make the team out of Spring Training.
A good ERA. Baseball Reference had him at a 1.4 WAR. But FanGraphs had him down at a 0.1, giving him a value of $800,000 to the Jays.
He had a 4.40 FIP and a 4.60 xFIP (which is why the fWAR was so much worse than the bWAR).
Yariel was much better against RHB (.176/.241/.302) than LHB (.229/.393/.365). Too bad we can't use relievers for one batter anymore.
He was much better at home (2.25, batters hit .145/.265/.265) than on the road (3.89 ERA, batters hit .239/.338/377).
He was better in the first half (2.47 ERA, batters hit .176/.267/.327) than the second half (4.21, batters hit .229/.362/.323).
Consistency is not Yariel's middle name. Some days, he was great and some he wasn't.
Rodriguez has a four pitch mix:
- Slider: 41.3% of the time, batters hitting .134 against it.
- Four Seamer: 40.8% of the time, batters hitting .266 against it. Averaged 95.7 mph.
- Split finger: 11.9%. Batters hitting .182 against it.
- Sinker: 6.0%. Batters hitting .292 against it.
- Four Seamer: 40.8% of the time, batters hitting .266 against it. Averaged 95.7 mph.
- Split finger: 11.9%. Batters hitting .182 against it.
- Sinker: 6.0%. Batters hitting .292 against it.
Rodriguez's stat line by catcher:
- Tyler Heineman: 1.80 ERA. Batters hit .153/.242/.212 in 96 PA.
- Alejandro Kirk: 3.50 ERA. Batters hit .211/.326/.385 in 191 PA.
- Ali Sanchez: 10.80 ERA. Batters hit .333/.455/.333 in 11 PA.
- Alejandro Kirk: 3.50 ERA. Batters hit .211/.326/.385 in 191 PA.
- Ali Sanchez: 10.80 ERA. Batters hit .333/.455/.333 in 11 PA.
He was better in high leverage spots holding batters to a .167/.292/.233 than in low leverage spots, .218/.316/.398.
Rodriguez will get a shot to redeem himself in Spring Training, and maybe get back in the good graces of his manager and pitching coach for 2026.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 26 | 115 ANSWERS Bounce Back Candidate: Right-handed reliever Yariel Rodriguez Will Yariel Rodriguez make the Blue Jays roster out of Spring Training? | ||
| Yes | 61 | 53 % |
| No | 35 | 30.4 % |
| Too early to tell | 19 | 16.5 % |
| List of polls | ||